Celebrate the 4th of July: Bake for troops, crafts and more
Here are three of the loaves of banana bread headed to my friend in Afghanistan.
I’ve been working on several Fourth of July projects that I wanted to share with you guys.
The first project has been baking for one of my high school friends who has been sent to Afghanistan. I recently was on Facebook with him and asked if there was anything we could send him and he asked for banana bread.
So my little sweeties and I baked multiple loaves of banana bread this weekend that I am mailing off today and hoping they make it without molding. (The Post Office lady doesn’t think it’s going to work but my friend says other guys get banana bread all the time. It’s a moist bread and that is the concern. Mailing tips: You get a discount on the flat-rate boxes. It’s about $13 for a large flat-rate box to go to Afghanistan. You have to fill out a customs form as well. The Post office staff can set you up and explain it all.)
There are many groups that bake for the troops. You can support their efforts financially or in some cases help bake. Click here to see the list of groups.
Living Social is offering a deal this week where if you pay $25, the USO will donate $50 in care packages to troops. And you get a USO T-shirt.
You can also donate through the regular USO site but you don’t get as much bang for your buck. (But you do get some flags for your donation.)
My 5-year-old thought my 4th of July wreath made a good lion's mane.
On a lighter note, I’ve also been working on a 4th of July wreath for my front door. I’m not super-crafty so I need easy crafts. If you can tie a knot you can make this wreath. (And use any holiday fabric or colors.)
I saw the idea in a magazine at my dentist’s office but I’ve adjusted it slightly. I used a 14-inch floral ring from the Hobby Lobby. (I think around $6.) I cut strips of fabric 2 inches wide by 17 inches long. The first time I did the project I just bought the scrap packs that Hobby Lobby sells. The second time I bought 1 yard in four different fabrics. You will have fabric left over. I cut 100 strips.
Then you just start tying the fabric around the ring. You arrange the knots slightly off of each other. The fabric overlaps in the back.
I wanted a bright wreath too. I cut the strips back on this one after I tied it.
The magazine called for you to clip the fabric down short, which I did on my first wreath but not on my second wreath. So it’s up to you.
This weekend, I built a bulletin board on Pinterest just of 4th of July crafts and foods. Everything is red, white and cute! So check it out here for more ideas. (I pinned more than 60 ideas. You don’t have to be a member to look. You can just click and look for ideas.)
Tell us how you’re celebrating the 4th. Do you have a favorite way to decorate or a favorite red, white, and blue food to make? Share your tips for sending treats to the troops.
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21 comments Add your comment
BusyMom
July 2nd, 2012
12:39 pm
The Star Spangled Pie looks yummy…I may have to try that one!
Augusta
July 2nd, 2012
1:07 pm
Saturday I was getting a pedicure. I had a young girl sit next to me at the nail salon, who had just returned home from Afganistan last Thursday (her 3rd deployment). I fetl honored to sit next to her, chatted about Afganistan, thanked her for her service, and I paid for her pedicure.
She had not had one in over a year.
Tired
July 2nd, 2012
1:15 pm
Thank you! I love to bake and I’d be happy to send out some goodies. When my brother-in-law was deployed he was absolutely thrilled to get homemade treats. Chewy ginger cookies shipped particularly well.
missnadine
July 2nd, 2012
1:25 pm
Augusta, that is so nice. I once gave a first-class seat to a service woman on the way back from Europe. I used to travel overseas with work a lot, so it did not seem like a big deal. I think I made her day though! I hope so. I think of her each July 4th, and wonder how she is doing.
Scotty
July 2nd, 2012
1:43 pm
My kids and some of their friends are spending the day making cards and drawing pictures that we’re going to send to our troops overseas (as part of a larger project at our church). Later tonight we’re going to head over to Target to pick out things for care boxes that will accompany the letters (our church gave us a list – mostly personal hygiene products and prepackaged snacks). It’s really nice to see the kids getting involved with this.
As for the Fourth itself we usually spend the evening in downtown Decatur at their Pied Piper parade and fireworks. The kids will decorate their wagon with red, white & blue streamers and pictures for the parade and then we’ll go spread out a blanket on the lawn of the First Baptist Church and picnic with some family friends until fireworks time. Should be a great night.
Misplaced praise
July 2nd, 2012
1:45 pm
Help your kids to understand that while the troops have been off killing Afghanis and Iraqis (folks who never threatened the US nor our freedoms and liberties), the federal government over the past two administrations (well, the past 20 if you want to be honest) along with compliant members of congress, have been taking away countless freedoms and liberties and have been systematically destroying the constitution. The only folks who have actually been “fighting” to protect our freedoms have been libertarians of all flavors, folks like the ACLU, Gun Owners of America, the 10th Amendment Foundation, the Libertarian Party, Ron Paul and his revolution, and others who know that the only folks that can truly destroy our freedoms and threaten our way of life are the folks who claim to represent us and wield unlimited power over us from their positions in government.
I feel for the troops who have been conned all their lives into thinking that fighting for the oil companies and the military industrial complex in foreign country will actually protect america. They have lost their lives, their limbs, and their sanity in many cases for a lie.
The 4th is about celebrating the great things our founding fathers supposedly created our government to protect. It is not about celebrating the empire that works daily to destroy them. If more people actually bothered to see beyond the red, white, and blue flag waving and looked to the reality of what our country has become, maybe we would all have the courage to take back the freedoms that no foreign enemy has ever taken away.
Uh, Misplaced...
July 2nd, 2012
2:06 pm
…Nobody said anything about “why” the troops are where they are – all that was said suggested is that they be remembered. The troops did not have any say in where they are or why – they are “there” and TWG was asking that they be supported – and that is all that was suggested.
So, you may now crawl back under you rock and continue to vegetate…
Mary
July 2nd, 2012
2:38 pm
Try shipping your banana bread packed in dry ice, if there aren’t any postal service regulations regarding the use of dry ice. It will keep the items very cold for several days, which could prevent or postpone molding, and it will evaporate rather than melt. I did this once, before I had a chest freezer, to keep a large amount of refrigerated products cold for several days. I packed them in dry ice inside a large cardboard box. It worked very well and the items were still cold after four days.
Theresa Walsh Giarrusso
July 2nd, 2012
4:23 pm
Mary — I just mailed them so we’ll so how they do — we may have to try to the dry ice for his next shipment — he swears it’s making it ok — we will see. I did two different recipes – one low fat thinking it would be less “moist” and less likely to mold. The other was full fat but used butter-flavored shortening instead of butter so we’ll see how they arrive. the good thing is with FAcebook you can know.
☺☻Have A Smile!
July 2nd, 2012
4:40 pm
“…blah blah blah blah..military industrial complex ”
Please take your tin foil hat and go somewhere else.
This was a nice column about someone doing something nice for others and celebrate our country, and you’ve contributed nothing.
God bless America & banana bread. :)
TwinTuesday: Fourth of July Special | Twin Life Magazine
July 2nd, 2012
5:02 pm
[...] Momania first shared this great July 4th activity. They recommend celebrating a different way, by giving back to those who have served our country. Baking for the Troops takes place nationwide, and would be a great way to teach your children about why we celebrate Independence Day in the first place! You can opt to donate money, toiletries, or baked goods. We bet you probably can spare a few extra Star-Shaped Cookies for our troops! [...]
Figment
July 2nd, 2012
5:05 pm
I would recommend using a food vaccum sealer, like the Food Saver to seal the food before shipping. Should be fresher that way.
Misplaced praise
July 2nd, 2012
5:32 pm
The last time I checked the troops volunteered. They may not have volunteered specifically to go to Afghanistan or Iraq or Yemen, or Iran, or Somalia, or the Phillipines, or Syria, or Libya or any of the other wars we are unconstitutionally involved in, but it should be clearly obvious to EVERYONE since the end of the Vietnam war that america no longer fights defensive wars. We fight offensive wars of choice to protect the financial interests of major campaign donors and major industries that pull the strings of the american economy. Maybe you should remember all the innocent foreign children that are now dead because so many volunteered. In the words of Hawkeye Pierce on MASH when asked, what would there be if everyone chose not to fight? “Peace”
Theresa Walsh Giarrusso
July 2nd, 2012
5:33 pm
Figment — I have read that. I don’t have one though. I guess I could try my vacuum.
FCM
July 2nd, 2012
7:00 pm
TWG…I think that pic of Lili is just to cute! I love that she saw something in it other than what it was.
Miss Priss!
July 2nd, 2012
8:07 pm
Misplaced Praise, sweetie, I think you’re typing on the wrong blog, dear! If you want so desperately for someone to agree with you, get on a plane and go chat with an Iraqi. All the best!
newblogger
July 2nd, 2012
10:46 pm
Misplaced Praise…this Marine Corps mom thinks you are a disgusting excuse. My son chose to become a Marine so he could make a difference and he does, every day. How dare you spew your vile opinion when you obviously have no idea what you are talking about. Our service members not only fight for our freedom, they also fight so that other countries can hope to one day enjoy such freedoms. I could go on and on, but the things I want to say are inappropriate for this blog. You make me sick.
Becky
July 3rd, 2012
8:47 am
I don’t care if they made the choice on their own or Uncle Sam made them sign up, I thank each and every service man, woman and their families for what they do for me and my family..I can’t imagine how tough it is for a family member to be gone for 6-8 months or a year of more at a time..Fighting for my right to be on a blog, grumbling about trivial things..Or enjoying my day off of work tomorrow eating BBQ..Things that I do each day that someone’s son, daughter, father or mother fought for me to be able to do..
@newblogger..Your son (IMO) is awesome and please tell him that I thank him from the bottom of my heart for his service allowing me my freedom..He does make a difference and some of us are thankful for that..
BusyMom
July 3rd, 2012
10:28 am
@newblogger…thank you to your son for his service!
jbm
July 3rd, 2012
10:37 am
Theresa, I shipped chocolate for Easter to my son-n-law in Afganistan and it didn’t even melt. You should be fine.
Denise
July 3rd, 2012
5:06 pm
@newblogger – I, too, thank your son for his service!